PhD Studentship: Directors’ Duties, Non-Financial Reporting, and Environmental Sustainability University of Essex in United Kingdom

[Fully funded studentship; £20,780 for 2025-26, plus £2,500 for training courses and £10,000 for research costs and further training.]

This fully funded PhD studentship at the University of Essex offers an exciting opportunity to explore the intersection of directors’ duties, non-financial reporting, and environmental sustainability. Hosted within the ‘Sustainable Transitions – Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme’, the project aims to analyse how directors’ legal responsibilities and evolving non-financial reporting practices can contribute to achieving net zero outcomes and broader environmental goals.

Directors’ duties are a cornerstone of company law worldwide, shaping how businesses make decisions, develop strategies, and address externalities such as environmental impact. Traditionally, these duties require company decision-makers to act in the best interests of the company, without mandating specific environmental outcomes like net zero carbon emissions, biodiversity conservation, or pollution reduction. However, the rise of non-financial reporting—through both mandatory and voluntary schemes—has introduced new mechanisms for corporate accountability and sustainable development. Despite this, the relationship between directors’ duties and non-financial reporting in driving sustainability remains underexplored.

This interdisciplinary project will examine the linkages between directors’ duties and non-financial reporting, considering how legal and policy reforms could enhance environmental outcomes. The research will employ a combination of legal analysis and content analysis methodologies, drawing from both law and accounting disciplines. You will receive comprehensive training in interdisciplinary research methods, including exposure to secondary disciplines relevant to the project.

As a doctoral scholar, you will benefit from the Sustainable Transitions training programme, which includes initial and ongoing training, as well as support from the management team and your supervisory team. The Proficio scheme provides £2,500 for training courses, and Sustainable Transitions scholars receive an additional £10,000 for research costs and further training. You are encouraged to audit relevant masters and degree-level courses to broaden your expertise. Scholars also join the University of Essex ‘Centre for Environment and Society’, gaining access to events and networking opportunities.

This studentship is ideal for candidates with a background in law, particularly those who have studied corporate law or corporate responsibility at the masters level. No prior training in business or accounting is required, as the programme offers relevant training. Applicants should be willing to engage with new non-legal methodologies and develop their own research proposal within the broadly defined project area, with further refinement in consultation with the supervisory team.

Funding for the studentship includes a stipend of £20,780 for 2025-26, plus additional support for training and research expenses. The application deadline is 13 April 2026. For more information and to apply, visit the University of Essex postgraduate research opportunities portal.